Works for Notepad whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Notepad's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Notepad behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode; choose Hide and Require Face ID instead to move it into App Library's Hidden folder as well.
Lock Notepad with Face ID
- Find Notepad on your Home Screen or in App Library.
- Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
- Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Notepad now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Notepad from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Notepad in App Library
- Touch and hold Notepad's icon and tap Require Face ID.
- Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
- Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
- To open it later, swipe to App Library, tap Hidden and authenticate.
Hiding also locks the app. To undo either, touch and hold the icon again and choose Don't Require Face ID.
Why lock Notepad?
Notepad's privacy label lists location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Notes apps quietly collect some of your most personal writing. 'Encrypted' can mean encrypted in transit, at rest on the server, or end-to-end — only the last keeps the developer out.
Business apps often handle other people's data — clients, colleagues and customers — so what they collect can affect more than you.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Notepad sends to its developer; for that, see Notepad's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Notepad opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Notepad's content out of Spotlight and Siri suggestions
- With Hide, remove the icon from the Home Screen
It does not
- Stop someone who knows your passcode
- Encrypt or change how Notepad stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Notepad from purchase history or Screen Time reports
Don't see Require Face ID?
- Update to iOS 18 or later in Settings › General › Software Update.
- Make sure a passcode is set in Settings › Face ID & Passcode; the lock needs one.
- Some Apple apps (Settings, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Find My, Clock) cannot be locked or hidden.
- If your iPhone is managed by work or school, the option may be restricted.
Other settings worth checking for Notepad
Tracking
Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.
Location
Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Notepad. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Notepad › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Notepad's full privacy label
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Notepad
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Notepad have its own passcode?
What happens to Notepad's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Notepad encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Notepad remove it from my purchase history?
Is Notepad safe? Full privacy report →Does Notepad track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All business apps →